Saturday, March 29, 2008

Finished Object, Finished Books, Finished 2nd Graders

The Lacy Prairie Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. I'd been working on it for over a year, maybe two. I'd work on it a bit, then put it away for other projects.

Unblocked.

Close-up.

Modeled.

Leftover yarn. Nothing like cutting it a bit close. It's done in Cascade 220 in the "Tahiti" colorway.

Books I've finished in March

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough -- a history, rather gruesome at times, but fascinating

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers -- a turn of the (last) century thriller that is considered the first spy novel in English. Set in the Frisian Islands in the time leading up to WWI. A few old fashioned passages, but really a rip roaring read. Interesting factoid: the author was later killed in the Irish Civil War.

The Bloody Tower by Carola Dunn -- Former aristocrat and policeman's wife Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher solves a murder at the Tower of London in the 1920s. Not rip-roaring, more comfortable, but I love the setting.

Shark Island by Joan Druett -- More in the Wiki Coffin nautical mystery series

The Bounty by Caroline Alexander -- a detailed history of the mutiny and its aftermath

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick -- this one is hard to categorize. It is the most recent Caldecott medal book, but it is 500+ pages. However, it's a quick read as some of the action takes place in the illustrations and in movie stills. It's not a comic book, but might appeal to young comic book readers.

The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer -- another 1930s classic British mystery. I like Heyer because she sometimes sneaks in a bit of dry humor.

While I was out on medical leave, the second grade heard several versions of Rumpelstiltskin. I brought in my spinning wheel and demonstrated for them. One of our state standards is that they learn concept of a production process for finished goods and I thought this would qualify.

I've never had as rapt an audience in this age level right before spring break! They were fascinated.